Last community meeting before EPISD decides on future of 2 vacant campuses
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) is trying to answer the question of what it should do with two empty campuses it still owns.
Community invited to discuss future of 2 vacant schools
The district held a community input meeting on Thursday, May 23, at the Don Haskins PK-8 School, on 500 Mulberry Ave. This was the final meeting before the district moves forward on potentially selling the vacant Oran Roberts and Mitzi Bond elementary schools.
District officials informed people at the meeting that there are three bids for each of the properties, but only one that is acceptable for each.
With Roberts Elementary zoned as a commercial property, officials discussed the possibility of it being turned into a strip mall or even a hotel by potential buyers.
Meanwhile, a sign on the fence of the Mitzi Bond Elementary property has it zoned as an R-5 residential property which concerned residents of the area, who overwhelmingly expressed their desire for it to become a single-home residential property.
“You know, as a member down here, most of us would say we don’t want multi-family apartments in the upper valley, on a street like Lindbergh,” said a resident near the vacant school, Mike Freidas.
“We need to be able to follow through and make sure that the commitments that were made to this staying as a single R-1 residential area are respected,” said Ann Stewart, a resident and former teacher at Mitzi Bond Elementary.
Multiple people at the meeting asked district officials whether the proceeds from the potential sale would be used to address the district’s $12 million deficit. Officials responded by saying the proceeds would go to the district’s general fund.
Others expressed concerns that the district hasn’t been sincere in notifying the public as to when these community input meetings are happening, while others are optimistic of where talks are at.
“I’m extremely hopeful that our district will be very mindful of our future, that we do have a future,” said Stewart.
“I think it’s real positive for the El Paso school district to do that. The comments I heard from people who are concerned about the general fund and the debt. I think it’s a reflection of people feeling like the El Paso Independent School District, among other districts, hasn’t been frugal in dealing and handling the taxpayers money that we’ve had,” said Freidas.
District officials said that this is part of an ongoing process to figure out what to do with these and other 15 vacant properties under their ownership. They said their goal is to put out a package for some of their properties every three months.
“To have a plan for our surplus properties and to get those properties either repurposed or get them offloaded off of the school district’s books. And so, that’s the activity that you’re seeing right now. You’re seeing a combination of us honoring the voter compact, as well as us being diligent of taxpayer dollars and not allowing properties just to sit in our communities and be a nuisance to the community,” said EPISD Chief Operations Officer Stacy Pierson.
As part of the 2016 Voter Compact, EPISD is required to host community input meetings so that people with a vested interest in these properties can weigh in on their future.
District officials said that the potential offloading or repurposing of these properties could also open opportunities to create resources of revenue.
“Texas public school funding is taking a hit right now, and so we have to get creative as to how we’re generating revenue to be able to maintain our MNO and INS and support our academic outcomes as well as school safety. And so, offloading our surplus properties is just one of those avenues that we have as a resource in the district to be able to garner and generate revenue to put back into our facilities, to put into our educational practices and programs,” said Pierson.
After Thursday’s meeting, the district administration will review the acceptable bids before making a recommendation to the district’s board.
They will continue to have these meetings for every vacant properties they introduce into a package as this process plays out.
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